February 1735 (2)
= Le Mercure Gallant - February 1735 = Weather this month *Winter freezing. *Storms in the West Indies. Events Of Importte Pertaining To Recent Matters Southampton *King George of England and Kaiser Frederick of Prussia have arrived in Southampton together and witnessed the official launching of 21 new Southampton Class English frigates. The Kaiser had already taken the opportunity to announce, while stopping over in London briefly while a change of coach horses was arranged for the rest of the journey to Southampton, that Bering’s expedition has discovered an island group in the South Atlantic which in the name of friendship is to be named St. Georgia in honour of the King of England and the patron saint of his nation. Voronezh *Obolonsky’s Regiment of Russian musketeers has marched into the Ukrainian fortress of Voronezh. Nieuport *General Jansens’ Dutch dragoons have arrested a foreigner who arrived in Nieuport and started to show an unusually keen interest in the troop deployments in the town. The man, whom Jansens can tell isn’t Indian but thinks might be Chinese, is called General Tao Hanzhang and doesn’t speak a word of French or any other European tongue. *A deputy of the Flanders Raad, the wealthy burgher Zuniga has gone to Nieuport and boldly asked the Dutch to hand over civic control to him, ‘since your days here are surely numbered, and peace has been restored.’ *Prussia’s Nord Armee has marched from Ypres to Nieuport, where Dutch, Spanish, and Flanders forces are already at hand. York’s Nord Armee was seen to consist of 20 battalions of foot, 19 squadrons of horse, and seven batteries of artillery. General Primo de Uceda’s long-suffering Spanish dragoons, who had been camped outside, were escorted back into Nieuport by General York and given some stores to aid their recovery. Kingston *Hundreds of Spanish sailors have run amuck in Kingston, smashing in windows and ransacking a couple of trade offices owned by a Mister Teach. To restore law and order Major General Sir Sydney Rooke deployed on to the streets soldiers of the 9th Regiment of Foot, the Royal Scots, who dispersed the Spaniards by fixing bayonets and deploying by platoon throughout the town, threatening the ruffians and causing them to disperse. *Despite the disturbances, Sir Thomas, the governor, ordered work to begin on a new citadel and this has begun without any difficulty. His Grace decided to construct a citadel since he is aware that Kingston is already protected by fortifications which appear to have been built as a goodwill gesture to the townspeople by Mister Henry Pemberton. *Thielmann’s Regiment in Kingston has been disbanded. Nicobar Islands *Admiral Hoy of the Imperial Chinese Navy has claimed the islands of Nicobar for the Great Moghul, ‘True Friend of the Holder of the Mandate of Heaven’. Port Salim *The ten Rumelian Navy ship of the line in the ordinary at Port Salim have been made ready to sail. The Syrian Navy Turkish crews and their Rumelian traitor allies have been swapped in the holds of the ships for the Rumelian sailors who had been there who are steadfastly loyal to Sultan Suleyman and now once again are crewing their ships with the help of untrained slaves. *While the above was underway General Haraam Khor’s Janissaries launched a raid against the ships, and were soon embroiled in a fight with Rumelian tribal fighters. The Janissaries were beaten off with heavy casualties, General Khor himself falling at their head after Grand Admiral Talaat Pasha sent ashore marines from his fleet off the northern entrance of the Suez Canal to bolster the tribal forces. Versailles *Charles, by God’s good grace King of France has by royal decree cut the taxes levied against his commoners by 1% to a reduced level of 6%. Janjira *Hanson’s Horse have ridden out of Janjira and headed down the Bijapur coast toward Goa. Canton *The Cohong of Canton have noticed that English tea dealers have arrived but have not been hindered in their operations, although technically they are banned in law (but the Cohong have orders not to detain them). Deshima *Toda Tadamasa, the Otona of Dejima, has stopped English merchants attempting to trade with Japan since they are outlawed here, as is everyone else except the Dutch (who have permission to trade through Deshima only). Alexandria *Outside Alexandria the Rumelian cavalry lancers present split into two groups and managed to catch the Egyptian horse archers in a pincer movement between the two. They were greatly helped by the fact that many of the Egyptians had this month been forced to dismount on account of the deaths of so many horses due to malnutrition. The Rumelians have captured alive two important prisoners, Prince Salesh Hammas bin Ali, Bey of Syria, and Emir Ulugh of Cairo. Baghdad *Ambassador Petra Karolyi of Rumelia was summoned to the Kapi Agasi’s Palace in Baghdad and informed by Mehmet Acemoglu that he is very displeased at the continuing depredations of the Rumelian Army and Navy in Egypt and Syria. “Your continued presence in Baghdad is no longer acceptable, you are leave forthwith,” the ambassador was flatly informed. She agreed to go, and then laughed cruelly. “I will return when you are dead,” she announced, and departed while still laughing mirthlessly. Ypres *Lieutenant-General Sir George Byng, in conversation with Captain-General le Comte di Brabante, has learnt that Ypres is under the civic control of the Republic of Flanders, and that the Comte believes that all that remains is for Ostend and Nieuport to be recovered off the Dutch. London *Lord Shovell, Foreign Secretary, announced for the government of His Majesty King George I that the British Army in Flanders would be removing all Dutch officials from the city of Ypres and returning the Flemish officials to their rightful offices. “If the Dutch will not do this peacefully it is doubtful that war can be averted,” he said. “The British force that was dispatched to the country has been in place to assist the Prussian army that was sent there to rid the area of the forces of the rogue Colonel Dudek. The forces of the ‘Colonel’ were decimated by the Prussians and the remnants were captured by Spanish forces. It is the understanding of the British Government that the Spanish forces were sent to protect the people of Flanders and that there were no designs of an imperial nature by Spain against Flanders. According to the actions of the Dutch Army last month they are bent upon war with Spain for territory that belongs to neither country. The ungentlemanly actions of the Dutch officer against a prince is certainly an action that can’t go unanswered. The most prudent course would be for the Dutch to remove their forces and officials.” Lord Shovell stated further that His Majesty gives his word that the Royal Spanish troops will remove themselves as soon as the government of Flanders is back in possession of the state of Flanders. “With that being stated the British forces in the area will be ready to guard the Flemish officials until they desire the British Army to leave. Spain has assured this government that they will remove their army as soon as the rightful government of Flanders is in place. War can be averted and peace can be returned to this portion of Europe.” *His Majesty King George I ordered that all church bells in the realm be tolled for one hour beginning at noon on the first Sunday of February. This was done in observance of the death of His Most Catholic Majesty King Philippe of Spain. Kyoto *At Enryakui-ji Temple (on Mount Hiei just outside the Imperial capital of Kyoto) the Shogun, Shogun Tsunayoshi Tokugawa visited and offered up prayers for the future success of Japan before leaving for Edo. *Emperor Fumihto of Japan has spoken about the need for all Japanese to work harder for the greater good of the nation. His words, he explained, were intended to be a lead to the Daimyo, to push their estates to better production and improve the economy. Vienna *Upon returning to Vienna from Modena, Archduchess Maria Theresa announced the Hapsburg Army is to be reformed to help the Holy Roman Empire. People being Much Admired by the Best in Société *Russia *France *Prussia *Kwantung China *Moghul India *Hungary *Blackbeard *Ottoman Rumelia *United Provinces *England *Japan *Spain Shipping Lists: Being a Reporte on Knowne Shipping Movements *Two dozen corvettes flying English ensigns have entered Kingston's harbour. Upon their arrival Captain Bartholomew Hull and his charming wife Lady Arabella were conveyed ashore. *Sixteen of the cruisers in the meantime prepared to tow sixteen unmanned Spanish merchant prizes already present here. Lloyds Lists: Being a Reporte on Knowne Shipping Losses from Causes Unknowne or Knowne *None. Ambassadorial Appointments *Sent by France to Lorraine, Count Robert Dunfontein. Trade Missions Opened *None. Automatically parsed by LGDRParser v1.0 Category:Game 2